After she threw Deidara out, Emmie felt dirty. Used. She couldn't believe Deidara was capable of such duplicity. He was a heathen and a ruffian but to his credit, he was always upfront with his feelings and intentions. She had come to respect his sometimes obnoxious transparency. However, the way he had manipulated her was completely unexpected; Emmie never saw it coming while she was struggling to define her feelings towards him.
Emmie cried until she felt numb. His scent still surrounded her, soaked into the sheets and her very skin. Violently, she tore the expensive sheets and pillows from her bed. Gathering them, she went to the balcony and threw them into the night. Gasping, she stood naked, watching them sink through the air like broken dreams. Turning on the water in the shower as hot as she could handle, Emmie scrubbed her skin until she felt raw. Mechanically, she dressed, cleaned her room, then picked up her cell to call an old friend.
"Kabuto, I need your help."
It was 4 in the morning but Kabuto showed up at her door tousled, still in his pajamas 15 minutes later. Emmie told him the whole 2 week ordeal along with the threat on her brother, but left Deidara out of her story. She showed Kabuto the video Deidara shot of Bhenka and the two of them put a plan together to throw Antonio's treacherous vice president in prison. Though Kabuto was the city's top criminal defense attorney, he was happy to play prosecutor for Emmie. Emmie was glad she reached out to Kabuto, he gave her space and provided her with a shoulder to cry on. She could tell he burned for answers but she refused to elaborate. Instead, Emmie drew strength from his presence. Concerned, Kabuto wanted to stay for the rest of the night but Emmie firmly ejected him.
Monday came and Emmie went back to work like nothing changed. After that night, the day was insultingly beautiful, the cloudless sky glared at her. Emmie settled her Oliver Goldmith tortoiseshell sunglasses more firmly to avoid looking at her reflection. She looked impeccable in a olive green Akris dress and navy Roger Vivier pumps but there was something in her face she couldn't cover with luxury clothes or makeup. There was nothing to worry about, it turned out. Emmie guessed she was a better actress than she thought because no one suspected that anything was wrong, not her girlfriends, nor her coworkers or patients. She never felt so alone before. Emmie tried not to think about anything, she threw herself in work, picked up research and worked until she was too exhausted to think about anything besides sleep.
Good fortune finally came her way when her brother returned, safe and rejuvenated from his sabbatical. Emmie got him the best security guards money can buy and felt like the weight of the world was lifted off of her slender shoulders. She and Kabuto rekindled their friendship and Emmie found that she genuinely enjoyed his company. Then one day Kabuto proposed.
It was an elaborate affair; he told her that they were going to a friend's party and surprised her in Cartier's. She walked through the doors with him in a subdued Botega Venata suit ready to pick out an engagement ring suggestion for her friend, dressed to the 10s and when she picked out a ring, he got the ring out of the case, dropped down on his knee and popped the question. Cameras flashed, gentle muzak played, celebratory smiles were pasted on onlookers but Emmie felt ambivalent.
She had known Kabuto for a long time. She knew he was a good guy, the stereotypical guy who waited for her to return his feelings even though she never did. Emmie did like him though, he was like a brother: solid and dependable and kind. Something like good bread, she thought vaguely. Even though Kabuto tried, he never alleviated the crushing loneliness in her soul. Bread would keep her full though. Bread wasn't explosive and unpredictable. Bread wouldn't take her on a whirlwind adventure and ignite feelings she'd never felt before or discover parts of her she never knew existed. However, bread was dependable. Bread wouldn't break her heart in a million pieces. With bread, Emmie wouldn't be dealing with the jagged and deformed heart she had now after she cobbled the pieces of her self together and pushed it all haphazardly back into place.
Emmie looked into Kabuto's almost colorless eyes and made up her mind. Bread was fine. She gave him a smile, "Yes, I will."